NE: Voters Excited, But Not United

By Carol D. Leonnig
At polling places in Omaha, the Omaha World Herald reported, excitement about voting overcame the frustration with long lines.

"You almost want to scream and shout, but you've just got to maintain," said Annette Evans, a 41-year-old first-time voter who told the paper that she stood in line for 45 minutes to vote at Evans Tower in north Omaha.

Her fiancé, 34-year-old Kenneth Holloway, was equally enthusiastic over the opportunity to vote for Barack Obama.

"It's just a great moment in history," said Holloway, who, like Evans, is African American. "Many people thought that they would never see this in their lifetime."

Russell Mayo gave a one-word answer when asked why he was excited to vote today: "Palin."

The GOP vice presidential nominee "is going to rewrite what we call 'conservative'," Mayo said after voting at St. Bernard Catholic Church. "I was just going to vote for McCain against Obama and Biden, but then Palin pops up. This is the first time I've actually voted for something instead of against."